Glossary Terms

CurryCMS allows you to build a curriculum-level glossary of vocabulary terms. These terms can be linked to content nodes, making it easy to provide consistent definitions and track where terms are used.

Overview

The glossary system provides:

• Centralized vocabulary - Define terms once, use everywhere
• Usage tracking - See exactly which content uses each term
• Grade band filtering - Organize terms by educational level
• Translation support - Translate terms alongside your content
• Automatic linking - Link terms to relevant content nodes

Accessing the Glossary

1. Open a curriculum
2. Click the Glossary tab (or find it in the curriculum menu)
3. View, add, edit, or delete terms

Creating Glossary Terms

Add a New Term

1. Click Add Term button
2. Fill in the required fields:
   • Term - The vocabulary word or phrase
   • Definition - Clear explanation of the term
3. Optionally set:
   • Grade Band - K-5, 6-8, or 9-12
4. Click Save

Term Fields

Note: Terms must be unique within a curriculum. You cannot have two terms with the same name (case-insensitive).

Grade Bands

Grade bands help organize terms by educational level:

You can filter the glossary list by grade band to find appropriate terms quickly.

Managing Terms

Editing Terms

1. Find the term in the glossary list
2. Click the Edit button (pencil icon)
3. Update the term, definition, or grade band
4. Click Save

Important: When you edit a term's text or definition, any translations of that term are automatically marked as "Needs Review" to alert translators.

Deleting Terms

1. Find the term in the glossary list
2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
3. Review the confirmation dialog:
   • If the term is unused, confirm deletion
   • If the term is linked to content, you'll see which nodes use it
4. Confirm to permanently delete

Warning: Deleting a term removes all its links to content nodes. This cannot be undone.

Searching Terms

Use the search box to find terms quickly:

1. Type in the search field
2. Results filter as you type
3. Matches are case-insensitive
4. Search looks at term names only (not definitions)

Filtering by Grade Band

1. Use the Grade Band dropdown
2. Select K-5, 6-8, or 9-12
3. Only terms in that band are shown
4. Clear the filter to see all terms

Linking Terms to Content

Glossary terms can be linked to content nodes to indicate where vocabulary is introduced or reinforced.

Adding a Term Link

1. Open a content node for editing
2. Find the Glossary Terms section
3. Click Add Term
4. Search or browse for the term
5. Click to select and link it

Viewing Term Usages

To see where a term is used:

1. Open the glossary
2. Click on a term
3. View the Usages section
4. See all content nodes linked to this term

The usage list shows:
- Node title
- Node type icon
- Location in the curriculum hierarchy
- Link to view/edit the node

Removing Term Links

1. Open the content node
2. Find the linked term
3. Click the Remove button (x icon)
4. The link is removed (the term itself remains in the glossary)

Translating Glossary Terms

Glossary terms can be translated alongside your curriculum content.

Translation Workflow

1. Enable the target locale in account settings
2. Open the glossary
3. Click on a term
4. Switch to the translation tab
5. Enter the translated term and definition
6. Mark as translated when complete

Translation Status

Terms follow the same translation statuses as content:

Automatic Review Flagging

When you edit a term's source (English) text or definition:
- All translations are automatically marked "Needs Review"
- Translators see these in their queue
- This ensures translations stay in sync with source

Best Practices

Consistent Definitions

• Define terms clearly and consistently
• Use grade-appropriate language
• Include examples when helpful
• Avoid circular definitions

Strategic Linking

• Link terms where they're introduced (first use)
• Link terms where they're reinforced
• Don't over-link—focus on key learning moments
• Consider linking to assessment nodes for study guides

Grade Band Organization

• Assign grade bands consistently
• Consider vocabulary progression across grades
• Use bands to create grade-appropriate glossaries
• Remember: bands are optional, use only if helpful

Naming Conventions

• Use standard terminology (e.g., "fraction" not "fractional number")
• Be consistent with singular/plural
• Include variant forms as needed (e.g., "multiply, multiplication")
• Avoid abbreviations in term names

Common Questions

"Can I have the same term in multiple curricula?"

Yes. Each curriculum has its own glossary. The same term can exist in multiple curricula with the same or different definitions.

"What happens to term links when I create a variant?"

Glossary terms belong to the parent curriculum. Variants inherit access to the parent's glossary, but variant content nodes can have their own term links.

"Can I export the glossary?"

Currently, glossary export is not built-in. The API provides access to glossary terms if you need to extract them programmatically.

"How many terms can I have?"

There's no hard limit. However, for best performance and usability, organize large glossaries using grade bands and search.

"Can I bulk import terms?"

Bulk import is available via the API or legacy import tools. Contact your administrator for data migration assistance.

"Do glossary terms appear in editions?"

Yes! When you publish an edition, glossary terms and their usages are included in the snapshot.

Related Documentation:
- Translate Your Curriculum - Translation workflow guide
- Working with Content - Content node editing
- Translations & Localization - Translating terms
- Publishing Editions - Including glossary in editions